Cloth-cutting machine



(No Model.)

P. D. VAN VRA'DENBURG.

CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. .11

PETER D. VAN VRADENBURG, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

CLQTH-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 495,174, dated April 11, 1893.

Application filed April 12, 1892. Serial No. 428,885- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PETER D. VAN VRADEN- BURG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cloth Cutting Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has special reference to that class of cutting machines used for cutting garments out of cloth, although its use is susceptible of a much wider scope, such as cutting and shearing sheet metal, leather, &c.

My object is to provide amore convenient, powerful and effective device than those hitherto known or used; and to this end my invention consists in the peculiarities more fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a general perspective view of my complete machine; Fig. 2 a detail view of the shears and immediate parts; Fig. 3 an enlarged detail View of the means for connecting the machinery with the power and disconnecting it; Fig. 4a detail View of one of the casters; Fig. 5 a detail view of amodification of the shifting mechanism designed for overhead power; Fig. 6 a detail of the cam in the clutch mechanism for side power.

The reference letter a represents the base or body portion of my machine which is mounted on casters b. These casters consist of a screw -threaded bolt 1), which passes through the base, and is provided with a slotted head b", and collar 19', between which head and collar the roller-carrying legs 0 are swiveled and rotate. The main driving shaft (1 extends horizontally over the base and is mounted in uprights or standards e, rising therefrom. A disk f is fixed on one end of the shaft and is provided with an eccentric groove g. A headed pin 9 extends through a cutting blade h, and screws into plunger 2', to which the blade is secured. This plunger moves in guides j. The knife blade is rendered vertically adjustable on the plunger by screw g, and set-screw is, passing through a longitudinal slot in the blade, and the latter is prevented from, slipping on the plunger by means of intermeshing teeth 72. The

screw g passes through the plunger c', and into 4 able arm Z, held fast thereto by set-screws Z t which pass through longitudinal slots Z in. the arm. The bottom of this arm has rigidly secured thereto a lateral shear blade m, adapted toco-operate with the vertically reciprocating blade h in performing ashear out upon the material to be severed. The adj ustability of the blades permit them to be extended down to and below the surface on which the machine moves to enable them to cut materials of any desired thickness. Over the edge of the transverse blade extends a guide n, which is made of a metal bar bent in the form of a rectangular loop, the vertical arm 0, of which passes through apertures in the platform and is adjustably held therein by set-screws o. This guide enables the operator to readily follow the mark on which the knife cuts.

The drive-shaft d is provided with clutchin g mechanism consisting of a movable sleeve into which a flexible or other shaft (1 is secured by set-screw d; and on the end of this sleeve is formed a shoulder as, adapted to engage a pin to on the drive-shaft; The means for actuating this clutch consists of an upwardly extending rock-arm g, which has upon its upper end a lateral projection 0 provided with a recess 1", which receives a rib r" on the sleeve. The'rock-arm is actuated by an eccentric 8 operating within an L-shaped recess 8 and provided with a button s. A spring 25 presses against the rock-arm to hold the clutch in engagement while the machine is operating. The drive-shaft is connected by miter gears 12, v", to a fly-wheel which for the sake of compactness, is journaledrespectively in the base and a horizontal beam '12 secured to one of the standards.

In order to move the machine about with laterally from the base.

In Fig. 5 a modification of the clutch mechanism is shown in which an upright shaft supported by the standard 6, is geared to the main shaft d. The flexible shaft d" is securely fastened to one end of the vertical sleeve r by means of a thumb screw d. Revolubly mounted on thehighest point of standard e is a button 8'', having an inclined or eccentric slot .9 formed therein. Into this slot projects the lug or extension 1" of the rod r. This rod is located in a vertical way formed in standard a, and is capable of lateral movement therein. The annular rib r" of the sleeve r' projects into a recess w formed in the rod 0", on the side nearest to the sleeve. It will be readily seen that upon turning the button 8" in the required direction, that by means of slot .9 and lug r', the rod 7 will be caused to move vertically in its bearings. This movement will in turn cause the sleeve r' to move likewise on its shaft Whereupon the pin to and lug t, are made to engage or disengage each other as the case may be. This modified form can be made useful when overhead power is employed to actuate the machine.

The machine may be rolled about from place to place upon a cutting table, and the revolution of the drive-shaft sets up a reciprocating movement of the vertical knife through the medium of the rotating disk f containing the eccentric groove which receives the pin 9'. The knife can be quickly stopped by throwing the clutch out of engagement, which operation is performed by simply turning the button on the side of the standard,whereby the rock-arm will be thrown to the right and carry with it the crank sleeve. A reverse movement will throw the shoulder on the sleeve into engagement with the pin on the shaft whereby the sleeve and shaft are locked together, to resume the reciprocation of the knife. When the modified form is used for overhead power, the slotted sleeve on the standard is turned to connect and disconnect the machine with the power. The height of the platform can be easily adjusted by simply turning the screws of the casters.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a cloth cutting machine, the combination with a platform, standards or bearings arising therefrom, a horizontal drive shaft journaled in the bearings, a balance Wheel having a vertical axis located between the standards on the platform and geared with the drive shaft, a grooved disk fixed to the end of said shaft, a knife reciprocated thereby, and a stationary knife co-operating with the reciprocating knife, substantially as described.

2. In/a cloth cutting machine, the combination with a platform of a horizontal drive shaft mounted thereon, a pair of vertical guides fixed to the platform, a reciprocating plate working in the guides, and operated by the drive-shaft, a knife adjustably secured to the reciprocating plate, a standard fixed to the platform and a stationary knife adjustably secured to the standard and extending downwardly below the level of the platform where it is adapted to co-operate with the reciprocating knife, substantially as described.

3. In a cloth cutting machine, the combination of a platform, a stationary knife edge secured thereto, and projecting below the surface thereof, a reciprocating knife co-operating with the stationary knife, the lower end of said reciprocating knife being adapted to extend below the platform. means for operating the knives and vertically adjustable casters adapted to support the platform, whereby the height of the latter and hence the knives, can be regulated, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER D. VAN VRADENBURG.

Witnesses:

J. A. BROWN, GRACE L. PEEBLEs. 

